[Illustration: Lead Miners.]
Lead is found in many countries, but is particularly abundant in England.
The lead-mines in Derbyshire are many, as the Odin, Speedwell, Tideswell
Moor, Dirtlow, &c.; and the ore is not only found in various soils, but
mingled with a variety of substances. The Odin mine, at the foot of Mam
Tor, and near it to the south, is the most celebrated and ancient of any
in the county, being worked by the Saxons, from whom it received its name,
whilst most of the mineral terms used there are of Saxon origin. The
Speedwell mine did not repay the cost of working it; and, therefore, after
an expense of 14,000_l_., and eleven years assiduous labour, was
abandoned. Its interior is worthy the attention of the tourist.
Our engraving endeavours to represent the costume of women who work in
some of the Derbyshire lead-mines; they are capital figures, to which the
pencil can scarcely do justice; indeed, though this sketch was drawn from
nature, it conveys but an imperfect idea of beings, (_nondescripts_,) who
would assuredly delight Cruikshank. The dress of these women, of whom the
writer saw several emerged from mines a few miles from the Peak, seems
contrived to secure them from the cold and wet attendant upon their
employment. The head is much enwrapped, and the features nearly hidden, in
a muffling of handkerchiefs, over which is put a man's hat, in the manner
of the _paysannes_ of Wales, but not near so neat and stylish; besides,
the Welsh women are generally handsome, and become the hat; but the case
is far different with the _fair_ miners of Derbyshire, at least those whom
I saw, who were complete harridans. A man's coat, of coarse gray or dark
blue cloth, defends the arms, back, throat, and bosom of each _lady_ from
the cold; beneath it, but tucked up all round so as to form a kind of bag,
appears a gown of red stuff, which, set off by a bright green petticoat,
produces an effect singular and amusing; then come the shoes, at least
three inches thick, and long in proportion, bound on to the feet, in some
instances, with handkerchiefs, and thongs, and cords: it is a wonder that
the women can stir in such unwieldy slippers. Our party had stopped to
collect specimens of the lead ore, when the carriages were instantly
surrounded by these females, offering ore, zinc, slick-and-slide, and
various quartz crystals and fluor spars for sale; some of the women were
very old, and one in particular, who had worked in the mine from her
youth, was nearly a hundred years of age, yet she was upright and active,
and wrinkles alone betrayed the fact.